since Tire Kingdom says they cannot allign my car due to either a bent spindle or A frame (control arm) I went to the u pull it and spent 5 1/2 hrs trying to pull these parts. I managed to get the spindle with the lower control arm but could not get the upper one. There is a long bolt which runs through it from the front of the car towards the rear--I got the nut off it but could not get it to back out---I beat it unmercifully with a hammer--tried turning it out while applying pressure with a tire iron to the other side--no luck.
Please help--I'm guessing this is the part I need --just my luck.

You need to burn or otherwise remove the rubber from the bushing(s). Once this is done you will see a split steel sleeve (each end), spread those apart and you should then be able to remove the bolt.

good Lord!
I was reading on Ogre site about the Moog (problem solver) adjustable ball joints. I wonder if that would help. They said after they adjusted my camber all the way it only corrected from 2.9 to 2.2 and should be at 0.5
sure would be easier to just replace the upper balljoint.

If there is play or the bushings are dererioted they too need replacement.

Moog makes an adjustable kit for the upper A arm also that contains new bushings, spacer washers and through bolt.

Anything worn should be replaced, easy or not.

Wow, I didn't even know that MOOG had a "kit" for the front end. Can you please provide the P/N?
I am planning to rebuild the front end of my 88GT and want to stick with rubber bushings vs. poly. Anybody have Vendor, P/N, Source and Pricing Info. for the bushings, ball joints and whatever else is required? Thanks for your input,

karun

well this Fiero experience is getting worse as time goes on--this is my third Fiero--the middle one was an 88 coupe and I wanted something faster---should have saved up for a 4.9 job from Ed Parks but nooooooo had to and trade for this 86GT and now after spending 1350 for transmission repalcement and wiring harness--I still can't drive it
"SHOULD HAVE BOUGHT A KIA!

i think that a kia would be destroyed if a fiero and a kia got into and argument. you would run it over, heh

Thanks,
Today I returned to the u pull it and torched the bushings--easy enough, then used a punch to open the seam in the steel rolled sleeve and a little persuasion.
In no time I was headed to the cashier with my upper control arm. I degreased upper and lower control arms and spindle once home and painted them with rust inhibiting black paint.
I ordered new bolt and washer kit with bushings along with a new outer tie rod from The Fiero Store for about $65. I guess I will go ahead and buy shocks and struts for it.
Now the big question: Do I take all my parts back to Tire Kingdom and let them install and realign or do I attempt to put everthing on here and then return for the allignment???????

Install parts and get eyeball alignment. then take it back and say you hit a pothole and the car does not feel right.

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87 2M4 5 spd Daily Driver Project 2m$
****************************************
86 SE Needs every thing but a Motor & Sunroof Seal!!! Now for Sale! $1200.00
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Central Florida Fieros
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Has the car been hit? What would have bent suspension components enough that alignment was that bad? Do the left and right control arms/spindles look exactly the same?

This is one of the times in which you really want to know everything that's wrong before you throw parts at it.

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'87 Fiero GT: Northstar, Getrag, TGP wheels, rear sway bar, rod end links, bushings, etc.

'90 Pontiac 6000 SE AWD: Leaking ABS unit fixed, load levelling rear suspension fixed, still slow

Will,
I don't know--I traded an 88 coupe for this car out near Pensacola Fl --drove it 14 miles and the transmission locked up tight. Towed it from there to Toney Al where Ed Parks dropped the cradle, replaced the transmission and the wiring harness (because it was totally butchered) and when they test drove it--the rack and pinion fell apart and almost killed Jeremy. So, after they replaced the rack and pinion, they said I could come get the car--it needed an allignment--Ed doesn't have the equipment.
All I know is 86GT with 95 camaro 3.4 5spd Izuzu, short shifter (I hate that thing) I know who I got it from--he never got to drive it and I know somebody named Seaward was the one who was doing the conversion---I'd say maybe it hit a pothole--It does not appear to have been wrecked. Problem is--I just wanted something I could enjoy driving and even after throwing some money at it (to Mr Parks) I still have a messed up car
"should have kept my 88 and paid Ed to do a 4.9! or bought a KIA>

The Moog parts list is in my cave.

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No good ever came from dark and spooky. Norville "Shaggy" Rogers

The Ogre's Fiero Cave (It's also at the top of every forum page...)

New Parts! Wonder if I have to take the upper control arm to a machine shop to get bushings pressed in and out or what????????

The bolt isn't a press fit into the bushing. It just slips though.

Are people having a problem with the bolts rusting to the sleeve in the bushing? I've never seen that problem. It would be hard to get some leverage in there to break them loose that's for sure.

TK,

My Uppers were fine. The lowers gave me nothing but hassles until I got out the dremel, a can of PB Blaster, and a large punch with mini sledge. It took damn near 2 days to get the lower front bolt out of mine...

Bob

BFH. Yeah, I have to pry mine out. The bushings aren't in line so there is torsion on bushings unless the arms are dropped way down.

Yes, the inner sleeve on the bushings were rusted to the bolt (donor car at junkyard) I havn't gotten to mine yet---but what I usually do when parts look corroded is I begin spraying them with PB Blaster each day for several days before I do the job. Then they don't give me too much heck.

"SHOULD HAVE BOUGHT A KIA!"

Blasphemy!

Gary

Today,
Tire Kingdom pressed out the old bushing sleeves and pressed in the new Moog bushings. $37.45 I also slung off my A/C belt this morning which was brand new.

Could please explain the split steel sleeve, do you have
a pic of this. i cut out the bolt in the a-arm cause there was
no way it was going to slip out the end of the a-arm. now i have
a new one to replace the one i cut out but it won't slip in.

is that sleeve suppose to rotate in the a-arm?

thanks,
toms...

quote Originally posted by Indiana_resto_guy: You need to burn or otherwise remove the rubber from the bushing(s). Once this is done you will see a split steel sleeve (each end), spread those apart and you should then be able to remove the bolt.